Electric flat-iron



(No ModeLH. R. BUTTBRPIELD & W. MITCHELL.

ELBGTRIG PLAT IRON. No. 424,404. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY RICE BUTTERFIELD AND IYILLIS MITCHELL, OF IVATERVILLE, MAINE.

ELECTRIC FLAT-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,404, dated March 25, 1890. Application filed January 8, 1890. Serial No. 336,223. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HENRY RICE BUTTER- EIELD and WILLIS MITCHELL, citizens of the United States, residing at Vaterville, in the county of Kennebee and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Electric Flat-Irons; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such Io as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to Inake and use the same.

This invention relates to flat-irons which are heated by the action of a current of electricity; and it consists in t-he improvements I5 hereinafter particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of a flat-iron provided with our inventiom'liig. 2, a vertical cross-section of the same, and Fig. 3 an end 2o elevation of the saine with the electrical devices removed.

A designates the hollow shell of the flatiron, which is provided with a handle a, and has an opening A. in its broad end for the .15 insertion of the Wire coil B. r his is wound about an insulated core I, which may be of copper or other metal, or of insulating ma terial, and either solid, as shown, or hollow. The coils or layers of wire are preferably 3o naked and separated from each other by strips J, of asbestus, slate, er other insulating; material; or the wire Inay have an insulating coating throughout. te do not confine ourn selves to any particular arrangement of said strips or to any way of winding said wires, but have shown them as preferred. Strips K, of insulating` material, are interposcdbetween the bottom ot' said coil and a copper plate L, which constitutes an inner liniu g for 4o the bottom of the iat-iron shell A.

M designates an insulati11g-lining for the inner face of the sides and top of said shell. In the latter are clamping-posts N N', to which the circuit-wires O O are attached.

These posts extend down through the top of shell A and insulating-lining M, and are in contact with the contact-plates B on the ends of the wire B, so as to bring this wire into circuit with some generator of electricity for the purpose of evolving heat within said flatA` iron. The core I gives solidity to the wire coil andinakes it less likely to become disarranged during the operation of introducing it into the Hat-iron shell or withdrawing` it therefrom. This coil Inaybe securedin place within said shell in any conveniently detachable Inanner. The core, if of metal, becomes to some extent a reservoir of heat. it also becomes a temporary magnet and may be incidentally useful for other than calorific purposes. The copper plate L facilitates the transmission of heat from the interior of the hollow flat-iron to and through the iron bottom of shell A, copper being an excellent heat-conductor. The heat is derived by the passage of the electric current through the wire coil (the latter, of course, offering resistance and being heated by said current) and the consequent excitement by radiation or otherwise of molecular motion in the hollow space surrounding it. This will be transmitted mainly through said copper plate. This plate L is preferably removable with said coil B and its corefrom shell A, the said plate constituting a slide or movable tray for said coil and core; or the said plate Inay be attached permanently to the said shell, the coil and core being removable independently of both shell and plate. The insulating-lining M is not removable if the electric connection be made as in Fig. l; but said lining may be made removable without departing from the spirit or scope et' my invention.

The plate L Inay be other material than that specified, since even asbestus will allow suflicient transmission of heat for the flatiron te be serviceable, or said plate Inay be omitted; but a bottom. lining which is a good conductor of heat is an improvement and very desirable.

Instead of the wire coil a different construct-ien or material Inay be employed, this being necessarily a conductor of electricity, though offering resistance.

A lIeat-insulatin g covering P surrounds the upper part of the flat-iron to prevent radiation ef heat into the air. This, however, is not necessary. A carbon Iilament or other resistance may be substituted for the wire I3. The wire or iilament may be wound in one layer or in successive layers, as shown.

Il'aving thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letn ters Patent, isu

TOO

lv In combination with a hollow fiat-iron shell, a removable conductor normally within the same and forming part of an electric circuit, for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a hollow fiat-iron shell, a removable coil of wire normally within the same and provided with a core on which it is wound, said wire beinginsulated by nonconducting material to prevent short-circuiting and forming part of an electric circuit, for the purpose set forth.

f3. In combination with a `hollow flat-iron, an interior lining` therefor and a conductor arranged within said lining, though removable from said fiat-iron, the said conductor being in an electric circuit, for the purpose set forth.

4L. In combination with a hollow flat-iron,

, a lining of heat-insulating material for the inner face of the upper part thereof, a `cop per plate constituting a lining for the inner `face of the bottom of said flat-iron, anda conductor of electricity arranged within the casing formed by said linings and adapted to be connected with circuit-wires, substantially as set forth.

5. A hollow fiat-iron, in combination with a removable interior lining and a conductor of electricity arranged within said lining and removable therewith, said conductor being arranged for connection with the circuit-wires of an electric circuit, substantially as set. forth.

G. In combination with a flat-iron, a coil of wire wound on a core and suitably insulated, said wire being adapted to become part of an elect-ric circuit for the purpose of heating said iron, substantially as set forth.

7. A fiat-iron provided with a heat-insulating covering for its upper part, in combination with electric-heating devices, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY RICE BUTTERFIELD. XVILLIS MITCHELL. Witnesses:

I). S. IIEALD, II. D. BATES. 

